1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a gripper weaving machine comprising at least one gripper mounted by a guide portion to a rapier, further comprising guide units arranged in a row and insertable into an open shed and fitted with guides guiding the rapier and the guide portion.
2. Background of the Invention
A gripper weaving machine of the above type is known for example from the European patent document A1 0,576,854. The guide units are fitted with guide elements which are associated with the top and bottom sides of the rapier and to the upper sides and undersides of the guide portion that are flush with said top and bottom sides. At least one guide rib is provided at the guide portion and is associated with a transverse guide of the guide units. Accordingly transverse guidance takes place only in the region of the guide portion, the rapier per se being of uniform and substantially rectangular cross-section. Accordingly the rapier is designed to be comparatively flexible in the direction of is its flat sides while being relatively stiff transversely. This design is possible because the transverse guidance is provided by the guide portion.
Desirably the speed of operation is increased in gripper weaving machines of the this type, in particular the filling frequency. This filling frequency can be raised when the shed that just received the filling is already closing before the gripper(s) has (have) been fully withdrawn from it.